[Seelenna1982]

Ok I feel like writing this out here is going to make me realize that I’m likely not the norm on how I manage this... but we’re all a little out there in our own ways right?!
I’ve been going to therapy for about 9months to deal with some specific issues and past traumas. But I’ve realized that I share very little of my actual current personal life with my t. She knows a few things that happened when I was little. She knows I have children and a husband, but I’ve never brought their names or anything specific about them into the therapy room. She knows what I do for work, I have a creative job, but unless she’s gone looking online, Ive never shared it with her, or who I really am in session. Just some of my weirdness and traumas
I recently did a few high profile jobs I’m quite excited about and briefly mentioned when asked about my plans that I had ‘a big job this week’ but nothing specific. I feel she might ask how it went at our next appointment and I suddenly feel weird knowing I’ll just say it was fine and move on and not sharing anything about it. Because I’m really excited by it. But.... I don’t bring that me into therapy. I worry about talking and I worry about not talking - ugh! And I reason with myself, isn’t that the whole point of going to therapy, talking!

I’m not sure if it’s a wall I’ve created, or a boundary I’ve given myself. But I’m also worried what if this holds me back, nothing that’s important to me in my life enters that room. I am a bit robotic in therapy. I have trouble showing emotion or facial expressions. I’m rambling now but I wonder, do you bring your current true self into therapy? I’m pretty goofy in real life, I’m very static in therapy. Is it some kind of barrier I should work on moving with the idea it could help me progress in this work?

[piggy momma]

I think most (good) therapists know when to push and when to let back. I had a therapist who said “when you’re ready to talk, you’ll talk”. But he also really knew how to push on the important stuff.

Are you interested in sharing these aspects of your life with your T? Will it help your therapy? Are you comfortable asking your T to help you unveil some of this?

Those are some of the questions I’d be asking myself..

[Seelenna1982]

Originally Posted by piggy momma

I think most (good) therapists know when to push and when to let back. I had a therapist who said “when you’re ready to talk, you’ll talk”. But he also really knew how to push on the important stuff.

Are you interested in sharing these aspects of your life with your T? Will it help your therapy? Are you comfortable asking your T to help you unveil some of this?

Those are some of the questions I’d be asking myself..

That’s really productive advice. Thank you! And your t is probably right. You’ll talk when you’re ready to talk. I suppose I’d like to know if there’s a reason why I’ve created this separation. Maybe I don’t want her to know about my children or my daily encounters. I can’t see why, she asks at times but I give a very bland generic answer containing zero real information.
Or maybe there isn’t a reason! I am awful at talking though, I tend to also want to be measurably productive because of the cost so I don’t veer off topic.